Faithful Servants Point to the Faithful Savior

19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon. 25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need— 26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.

PRAYER

Julie and Bob Clark were stunned to receive a letter from their church in July asking them to “participate in the life of the church” or worship elsewhere. “They basically called us freeloaders,” says Julie Clark. “We were freeloaders,” says Bob Clark.

In a trend that may signal rough times for wallflower Christians, megachurch Faith Community of Winston-Salem has asked “non-participating members” to stop attending. “No more Mr. Nice Church,” says the executive pastor, newly hired from Cingular Wireless. “Bigger is not always better. Providing free services indefinitely to complacent Christians is not our mission.”

Freeloading Christians were straining the church’s nursery and facility resources and harming the church’s ability to reach the lost, says the pastor. “When your bottom line is saving souls, you get impatient with people who interfere with that goal.”

Faith Community sent polite but firm letters to families who attended church services and freebie events but never volunteered, never tithed, and did not belong to a small group or other ministry. The church estimates that, of its 8,000 regular attendees, only half have volunteered in the past three years, and a third have never given to the church.

“Before now, we made people feel comfortable and welcome, and tried to coax them to give a little something in return,” says a staff member. “That’s changed. We’re done being the community nanny.”

Surprisingly, the move to disinvite people has drawn a positive response from men in the community who like the idea of an in-your-face church. “I thought, A church that doesn’t allow wussies—that rocks,” says Bob Clark, who admires the church more since they told him to get lost.

P.S. This is not a true story.

—Joel Kilpatrick, “Mega-Church Downsizes, Cuts Non-Essential Members,” Larknews.com (September 2006)

Not a true story but it is a picture of what the German Pastor, killed for resisting the Nazi government, Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “Cheap Grace.”

“Cheap Grace” is what is held in the hands of people who claim the name/title of Christian but seem no different from most anyone else in the world. Lost people cannot see Jesus in a picture of “Cheap Grace.”

But Christians like these two men, are worth watching and following because this is what it looks like to be born again, having a transformed heart and living examples of Jesus, faithful servants. This is important because:

Faithful Servants Point to the Faithful Savior

The Commendation By Paul

Paul speaks very highly about both men as he writes to the church. The Philippians Christians were very familiar with both men.

He describes Timothy in as being “like-minded” with him, literally meaning equal soul or spirit, having the same affections, attitudes and actions of Jesus. Which - implies that time develops and sacrificial situations reveal. He had a deep concern for their well-being as God’s church in Philippi. Timothy was Paul’s figurative son, a special relationship Paul had with him, teaching him to advance the gospel, plant churches and make disciples, together. Timothy reciprocated the relationship, being a true friend to his pastor being there when he needed him most.

Epaphroditus, a layperson, according to trusted by the church to go as their “messenger” of encouragement, with their financial gift, according to , so he could “minister” to any needs of Paul. Some kind of deathly illness had befallen him, either on the journey or after arrival. Epaphroditus, the church or both, may have seen that as shameful and incomplete. Paul turns it positive, saying every faithful Servant like Epaphroditus needs to be honored because they give God glory. In , we see he is homesick and distressed over the anxiety the church has about his illness. He wanted to give generously to his Lord, and Paul calls him “brother.”

In - we find this is something that time reveals - proven character. Timothy spent much time serving with Paul in this fashion.

The message these men shared was the message these men lived.

Because of Timothy’s like-mindedness with Paul, he absolutely cared about the church and not his own selfish agenda. He had a deep concern for their health and well-being as God’s church in Philippi, and over the weaknesses of fellow believers. Paul implies there was no one else, besides himself, who matched Timothy’s level of concern either.

Paul reveals Epaphroditus’ deep love for his home church describing his homesickness in , and his distress over any anxiety of the church about him. Just like his savior Jesus, though Epaphroditus, as says, faced death considering fellow members more important than himself.

Epaphroditus had exposed himself to physical danger because he wanted to give generously to his Lord and his fellow soldier. He placed his gifts and talents at the disposal of the church. Serving God and serving others was Epaphroditus’ act of worship.

These two men had taken the example of the Lord seriously becoming the type of Christians and church members we are supposed to be.

Transitional Sentence and Keyword: What will it take for you and me to be like these men - Paul gave us 4 Credentials that we must exhibit to qualify as or be considered a faithful servant.

These two men had been radically transformed by the saving grace of Jesus Christ. These two men had taken the example of the Lord seriously becoming shining examples of authentic Christians - the type of members we are supposed to be like.

4 Credentials of Faithful Servants

To live as a faithful servant who points to a faithful savior it takes:

Character

The message these men shared was the message these men lived. Jamar Andrews (Jonesboro Arkansas) asked, How many tongues do we have? Not just 1. We have 3, 1 in our mouth and 1 on each shoe. He said we must make sure our mouths and feet are going in the same direction.

At the 1993 annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Atlanta, three hundred thousand doctors, nurses, and researchers came together to discuss, among other things, the importance a low-fat diet plays in keeping our hearts healthy.

Yet during mealtimes, they consumed fat-filled fast food, such as bacon cheeseburgers and fries, at about the same rate as people from other conventions. When one cardiologist was asked whether or not his partaking in high-fat meals set a bad example, he replied, “Not me; I took my name tag off.”

—Stephen Nordbye, “Always an Example,” PreachingToday.com

Your character will make way for your conversation - gospel conversations that people will believe.

Godly character will lead you to see that living as a faithful servant takes:

Compassion

- The world and even churches are full of people with selfish agendas, only looking for Number 1, but Timothy looked out for others 1st and is the Christlike contradiction of carnal, self-centered members of any church. He was concerned over the weaknesses of fellow believers needing help.

Epaphroditus, as says, was like his savior, facing death yet considering fellow members more important than himself.

After an accident in which she lost her arm, Jamie refused to go to school or church. Finally, the young teen thought she could face her peers. In preparation her mother called her Sunday school teacher and asked that he not call attention to Jamie. The teacher promised, but then he got sick on Sunday and had to call a substitute.

At the conclusion of the lesson that day, which was about inviting friends to church, the substitute teacher led the class in doing the hand motions to the familiar children’s poem:

Here is the church,

Here is the steeple.

Open the door,

And see all the people.

Jamie’s eyes filled with tears. A thirteen-year-old boy sensed Jamie’s pain and knelt beside her. With one hand apiece, they supported each other, making the church, steeple, and people.

Together they illustrated what real church is.

—Billy Waters, Teacher Touch (Cook, 1999)

Galatians 5:6 NASB95

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

Galatians 5:13 CSB

For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.

Love the people not the pews. Love Christ’s Body not the Church Building. Serve Christ by serving others here and in the world because you see them in need.

To be seen as a faithful servant it takes you serving Christ out of goodwill and a deep care about the worries and concerns of others who need your support and help. Make sure your agenda is the same agenda of Jesus, glorifying God in obedience, gospel conversations, going on mission, giving of self in helping others.

To be seen as a faithful servant it takes you serving Christ out of goodwill and love, with a deep care about the worries and concerns of others who need you. Make sure your agenda is the same agenda of Jesus.

Faithful Servants know that Compassion is not something developed in solitude and separateness, and that is why living as a faithful servant takes:

Companionship

Why? The gospel is the answer to division, for bringing people together. Now, by the gospel, Paul, a monotheistic Jew, Timothy, a bi-racial guy, half Jew and half Greek, and Epaphroditus, a poly-theistic, idol worshipping full blooded Gentile were together in the same family of God.

through several hills and valleys as they worked together for Christ and His Church. They were also comrades or soldiers in spiritual battles together to advance the gospel. Battles against Satan that could only be won through mutual trust and spending a lot of time together.

Dave Davila, twenty-four, took a job in Chicago and had to leave his close-knit family in East Moline, Illinois. But family gatherings just weren’t the same without Dave. So his mother took a digital photo of Dave, had it blown up to his actual height—five feet eight inches—and mounted the photo on heavy cardboard.

At first Flat Dave just showed up and stood quietly by at family gatherings. Then word spread throughout the community, and he became something of a celebrity in East Moline. “Complete strangers want to pose with him,” said his brother Dan. He also said, “I think Flat Dave’s actually better looking than Dave.”

Sometimes things get somewhat awkward for the real Dave—the one the family now calls Thick Dave. “I’m in Chicago talking to my mom on the phone, and she says, ‘Hold on, I’ve got to load you into the van.’ It’s a little weird.”

—Rex W. Huppke, “Meet Flat Dave. He’s a Real Stand-Up Guy,” Chicago Tribune (July 2, 2006)

Let’s not forget folks being born again makes us family. Love your brother and sister.

They were also comrades mutually trusting one another as soldiers in spiritual battles together to advance the gospel.

Being members of the church puts us in the same battles together. I got your back. You get my back.

Companionship in church is not formed by good potlucks, it helps, but we are called to develop people not have potlucks and programs. Church unity and community doesn’t happen when we sit in same building together, but when we are serving together in the common mission of the Great Commission.

We are called to develop people not programs. Church unity and community doesn’t happen when we sit in same building together, but when we are serving together in the common mission of the Great Commission.

Finally, these 3 credentials do not just suddenly appear in the sky and descend upon us. They are not something handed to us after baptism. Living as a faithful servant takes:

Commitment

, Timothy, though timid, is willing to go on mission to see to the needs of the Philippians. He was a giver wanting to be a solution in the situation.

Epaphroditus placed his gifts and talents at the disposal of the church. Serving God and serving others was Epaphroditus’ act of worship.

gives a glimpse of the necessary commitment, and this can only come from his understanding of God’s grace given him.

- is the testimony of God’s Commitment to you, giving his life for you. and is God’s continued commitment to you, giving you his spirit to work in and through you. The many answered prayers in your life is proof of the promise of God’s commitment to you.

Though skeptical of his teenage son’s newfound determination to build muscles, one father followed his teenager to the store’s weight-lifting department, where they admired a set of weights.

“Please, Dad,” pleaded the teen, “I promise I’ll use ’em every day.”

“I don’t know, Michael. It’s really a commitment on your part,” the father said.

“Please, Dad.”

“They’re not cheap,” the father said.

“I’ll use ’em, Dad, I promise. You’ll see.”

Finally won over, the father paid for the equipment and headed for the door. After a few steps, he heard his son behind him say, “What! You mean I have to carry them to the car?”

—Tim Davis, Pastor Tim’s CleanLaugh Collection (Trafford, 2001)

Galatians 5:

Walking worthy of that grace

Galatians 5:6 NASB95

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

- Walking worthy of that grace is yours commitment. , , - working out what God is working in without moaning or groaning while persistently reading and applying his word is your commitment. AWANA....

What matters is being a giver…givers are problem solvers, but takers are problem makers.

Conclusion: Up to this point through several ways in , Paul has challenged us to show Christlike affections, attitudes and actions. Now here in this final section, just to prove it can be done, Paul flips on the light switch to reveal 2 shining examples of useful little light bulbs in God’s lighthouse. Timothy and Epaphroditus are faithful living illustrations of a faithful savior.

- Walking worthy of that grace is yours commitment. , , - working out what God is working in without moaning or groaning while persistently reading and applying his word is your commitment. AWANA....

What we are challenged to do from this last section is to Imitate, Go, Send and Honor faithful servants. Doing so grows and unites the church.

Who is in the JFBC hall of faith? What we are challenged to do from this last section is to Imitate, Go, Send and Honor faithful servants. Doing so grows and unites the church.

Listen what you do in serving God here and out there may seem mundane in appearance but its miraculous in application. I say thank you and want to honor you.

Listen what you do in serving God here and out there may seem mundane in appearance but its miraculous in application. I say thank you and want to honor you. To the faithful servant visiting shut-ins and sick, going to feed hungry, giving away school supplies I say you are miraculous. To the faithful servant in the kitchen cooking/washing dishes, taking out the trash, helping in all areas of VBS, you are miraculous. To the faithful servants, folding bulletins and newsletters, counting money, greeting and ushering during church, you are miraculous. To the faithful servants going on mission to Cairo, the ones sitting in floor with kids, the ones teaching up stairs, to the workers and listeners in AWANA, I say your are miraculous. Now here’s the thing, it don’t take no miracle to sit in a pew and then leave and go home.

To the faithful servant visiting shut-ins and sick, going to feed hungry, giving away school supplies I say you are miraculous. To the faithful servant in the kitchen cooking/washing dishes, taking out the trash, helping in all areas of VBS, you are miraculous. To the faithful servants, folding bulletins and newsletters, counting money, greeting and ushering during church, you are miraculous. To the faithful servants going on mission to Cairo, the ones sitting in floor with kids, the ones teaching up stairs, to the workers and listeners in AWANA, I say your are miraculous. Now here’s the thing, it don’t take no miracle to sit in a pew and then leave and go home.

Time of Decision and Call to Prayer

Where does God want you to serve him? Who are you being a mentor to? Who are you being a mentor of? Is God calling us to sent some of our own to serve others elsewhere? Who do we need to honor?

Where does God want you to serve him?Who are you being a mentor to? Who are you being a mentor of? Is God calling us to sent some of our own to serve others elswhere? Who do we need to honor?